Olympic Stadium (Amsterdam)
52°20′36″N 4°51′15″E / 52.34333°N 4.85417°E
Gemeente Amsterdam | |
Capacity | 22,288[1] |
---|---|
Surface | Grass |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 18 May 1927 |
Opened | 17 May 1928 |
Renovated | 1996–2000 |
Architect | Jan Wils |
Tenants | |
Ajax (1930–1996, selected matches) Blauw-Wit (1928–1972) DWS (1928–1972) FC Amsterdam (1972–1980) Amsterdam Admirals (1995–1996) Phanos (athletics) (?-?) |
The Olympic Stadium (Dutch: Olympisch Stadion, Dutch pronunciation: [oːˈlɪmpiˌstaːdijɔn]) is a sporting venue which was used as the main stadium for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. The venue is currently used mostly for athletics, other sports events and music concerts.
When completed, the stadium had a capacity of 31,600. Following the completion of the rival De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam in 1937, the Amsterdam authorities increased the capacity of the Olympic Stadium to 64,000 by adding a second ring to the stadium. In 1987 the stadium was listed as a national monument.
Since 2005, the stadium is home to a sports museum, the Olympic Experience Amsterdam.
Architecture and design
The Olympic Stadium was designed by architect
Development history
The original plan of Jan Wils consisted of an extension of the
Characteristics
The football pitch measures 114 by 75 metres. The athletics track around it is eight metres wide and has a perimeter of 400 metres. The cycle track around the athletics track was nine metres wide had a perimeter of 500 metres.[2] It also hosted the equestrian jumping, field hockey, gymnastics and korfball (demonstration) events.
The capacity of the stadium is subject to controversy as the exact capacity was kept secret to press and public during the Games to evade the remark that the stadium's capacity was only marginally bigger than the Harry Elte stadium. It is said that two configurations could be set up in the stadium; one with 21,537 seats and 12,618 standing rooms (33,255 total) and one with 16,197 seats and 25,236 standing rooms (41,433 total).[2][3] After the Games the NOC admitted that the capacity of the stadium was somewhere near 31,600. Additional seats could be added on the cycle track, which would increase the capacity with 5,900.[2]
The 1928 Olympics introduced the idea of the
1996 renovation
In 1987 the city government announced plans to demolish the stadium. The stadium was saved, however, when it was listed as a national monument. Renovation started in 1996, and the stadium was refurbished into the original construction of 1928. The second ring of 1937 was removed, and the stadium was made suitable for
In 2007, the area around the stadium was renovated as part of larger urban renewal project covering the entire Olympic area. North of the stadium 969 houses were completed in 2008. In the same year, the islands in the river
Two new bridges were also built around the stadium: to the south there is a new bridge suitable for all traffic, the Na Druk Gelukbrug, and to the Schinkel islands in the west there is a cyclists and pedestrian bridge, called Jan Wilsbrug.
Use after the Olympic Games
The stadium hosted several international matches of the Netherlands national football team, the first one being the game against Uruguay (0–2) during the Summer Olympics on 30 May 1928. The last one was a friendly on 6 September 1989 against Denmark (2–2).
After the Olympics, the stadium was used regularly for various sporting events, including athletics,
The Olympic Stadium was the host venue for the
The
The stadium hosted the 2016 European Athletics Championships.[6] Because of this, an athletics track was added to the plan for the nearby Park Schinkeleilanden at the last moment. The athletics track in that nearby park, which could be a warming up track when using the main track in the Olympic Stadium for racing, was opened in 2008.[7] The stadium also serves as the start and finish of the Amsterdam Marathon, held every October.
In 2014, the stadium was temporarily fitted with a
The stadium is also a tourist attraction. Tourists especially come from the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Belgium, and Canada, and tours are available in Dutch, German, Greek, English and French.
The Olympic stadium now also offers spaces around the field for over 30 business.
Famous football games
Famous games, apart from the Olympic Games, include:
- Real Madrid, ended 5–3 for Benfica.
- "De Mistwedstrijd" ("The Fog Match"); Ajax's 5–1 victory over Liverpool FC on 7 December 1966.
- 1972 Intercontinal Cup 2nd leg between Ajax and Independiente from Argentina. The contention between the winners of the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores. The match ending in a 3-0 home win, after a 1-1 draw in Argentina.
- RSC Anderlecht, which the German team won 2–0.
- The second leg of the 1981 UEFA Cup Final between Ipswich Town and AZ Alkmaar (then known as AZ '67). The match ended 4–2 to AZ but with Ipswich winning the first leg 3–0 at Portman Road, Ipswich won the trophy 5–4 on aggregate.
- The second leg of the Stadio delle Alpi had been another draw (2-2), Ajax won the trophy on away goals.
References
- ^ Vervolgstudie tijdelijke uitbreiding Olympisch Stadion Amsterdam
- ^ ISBN 90-6012-399-9
- ISBN 9060054687) a capacity of 21,809 seats and 13,216 standing rooms (35,025 total)
- ^ Johanneke Helmers (2006-12-07). "Het Olympisch Stadion" (in Dutch). Amsterdam.nl. Archived from the original on December 26, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ "Het Olympisch Gebied" (in Dutch). Oudzuid.amsterdam.nl. Archived from the original on 2007-11-05. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ "Amsterdam to host 2016 European athletics championships". 4 November 2011.
- ^ Amsterdam.nl – Amsterdam kiest voor internationale atletiek[dead link]
- ^ "Mobiele schaatsbaan in Olympisch Stadion goed voor NK". Parool. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
External links
- Official website
- 1928 Summer Olympics official report. pp. 173–205.
- The stadium with the concrete second ring of 1937
- 3d model
Events and tenants | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Stade de Colombes Paris |
Summer Olympics Main venue (Olympic Stadium) 1928 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by Stade de Colombes
Paris |
Summer Olympics Olympic Athletics competitions Main venue 1928 |
Succeeded by Olympic Stadium
Los Angeles |
Preceded by Stade de Colombes
Paris |
Summer Olympics Men's football final venue 1928 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | 1962
|
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | UCI Track Cycling World Championships venue 1967 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | 1977
|
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | European Athletics Championships 2016 |
Succeeded by Olympiastadion
Berlin |